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Shoe life for the "big boys" (Read 946 times)

    I know that "they" say the typical shoe lasts anywhere from 400 to 500 miles but there has to a lot of variable there, weight being a biggie. I'm just over 200 lbs and do ALL of my running on the road. I would have to assume that my shoe life would be under the normal level. Thoughts?


    #2867

      I can't specifically say how long your shoes will last, but as a general rule they very well may wear out faster than they would if you were lighter. Here are a few of the factors that can make a difference: * Shoe Model (some shoes last longer than others) * Running Gait (where you land and how you stress the shoe) * Runner Weight / Force (how heavy you are / how forceful your foot strike) * Storage Conditions (the trunk of a car will melt or make your shoes brittle, for example) * Running Frequency (running twice a day in the same shoes won't give soles time to decompress/dry out) The best bet is to track your mileage and to pay attention to your body. If things start to hurt inexplicably, replace the shoes and record how long they lasted. After a few pairs of shoes you can start to guesstimate how long you can safely use a pair of shoes. Just be aware that that can change from pair to pair pretty easily, since all of the conditions above can be different from year to year.

      Run to Win
      25 Marathons, 17 Ultras, 16 States (Full List)

      Hannibal Granite


        For what its worth I weigh about 150 and am lucky to get 350-400 miles out of a pair of shoes, but then again I replace as soon as I feel any difference in resiliancy/cushioning b/c I don't want to risk injury again - I've had my share and if I can prevent an injury by replacing shoes more often I'll do it. That was a very long winded way of saying that like most things in running when you replace your shoes is a highly individualized thing. Bottom line - If you get to 500 miles on a pair of shoes it is probably a good idea to replace them even if you can't tell the difference in cushioning, but if you start feeling aches pains before then go ahead and replace them it is worth it.

        "You NEED to do this" - Shara

          I am in the 190 range and 300 miles is the absolute max for my shoes. I start introducing a new pair in the mix around 150 miles.
            Thanks all. 300 miles was exactly what I was thinking, I just wanted a second (and 3rd & 4th) opinion to make sure I wasn't just pissing away cash.
              I think getting shoes sooner... and rotating actually extends the life of a shoe... gives it time to fully dry out before the next run. On top of that if a new shoe gives you problems you always have a backup!


              Future running partner.

                Blaine, I see in your log it looks like for most of the year you log anywhere from 40 to 70 mpw. You must have to buy a new pair of shoes almost once a month. At $100 - $150 a pop, that gets kind of steep. Not to mention entry fees in races now getting up there. Running's not so cheap like it used to be.
                  I'm just under 200 pounds and always get at least 500 miles out of a pair. There are a lot of variables involved besides weight. The best determining factor of shoe life is how your legs feel. Any unexplained increase in leg pain or fatigue is a good indication of shoes that are nearing the end of their useful life. Tom


                  Old, Slow, Happy

                    I'm right at 200 lbs. I've been running for 4 1/2 years. I have settled on Brooks Beasts as my running shoe. I need the motion control. I get near 500 miles from each pair of shoes. As they begin to wear, I break out a new pair. I run long runs in the new pair and short runs in the older pair. When the older pair gets to about 500 miles, I break out another new pair and move the other ones to the short runs. It seems to work for me. I do about 45 - 50 mpw.
                    Mr Inertia


                    Suspect Zero

                      Lots of variables. At 230 I still can get 400-500 out of a pair of shoes (I'm neutral cushion kinda guy). Lightweight trainers and flats yield much fewer miles. Last year when I ran Akron they gave me a free pair of Brooks Radius. I put 900+ miles on them. I just bought my second pair for $67


                      #2867

                        Blaine, I see in your log it looks like for most of the year you log anywhere from 40 to 70 mpw. You must have to buy a new pair of shoes almost once a month. At $100 - $150 a pop, that gets kind of steep. Not to mention entry fees in races now getting up there. Running's not so cheap like it used to be.
                        Actually, I don't need to get new shoes once per month, because (a) I generally get around 450-500 miles out of my shoes, and (b) I rotate my shoes so on a calendar basis each pair lasts around a year or so. I also don't pay $100-$150 for each pair of shoes. I wear pretty minimalist and neutral shoes, which tend to retail at $80-$90. The most that I have paid for a pair of shoes (for myself at least) for the past 6 or 7 years are my trail shoes that I got for $95 last year. Most of my shoes are considerably cheaper, although I did buy some vibram KSOs to experiment with for just over $70 last night and that was pretty expensive. In 2006 I got some trainers at full retail for $80. You can look at my shoe list to see how much I spend on what. The best shoes are free shoes. Last year I won free shoes for a year from Mizuno by winning a local 18-week race series (best 6 cumulative time) which translates to 4 pairs of shoes, of which I have gotten 2 pairs. I also got a free pair of racing flats from the local Mizuno rep that I wore in my last marathon (I had expected to have to use one of my free pairs from the race series, but didn't.) My next source of shoes are through my team's Nike sponsorship, which lets me get older models of shoes for 25% off the wholesale price. Adding in the shipping, those cost $40-$50. Sometimes I'll find good deals on shoes at race expos or online, although for the last few years I haven't needed to bother looking because of the two sources above. I did get some trail shoes for half off from the local North Face outlet during a sale last year. If I do buy shoes at retail prices, then I get a 15% discount at my local running store because I belong to a couple of the local teams and clubs. My free mizunos actually go through the running store so they still get the money from mizuno for those shoes. So yes, while I do spend a lot on running shoes and go through a lot of pairs, I do make them last as long as possible by rotating between 3-5 pairs at a time for road shoes (and a couple of pairs for trail shoes) and I'm good at minimizing the expenses.

                        Run to Win
                        25 Marathons, 17 Ultras, 16 States (Full List)